Address  of  Armi stead  Burwell 
May  10,  1898 


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ADDRESS 

OF 

ARMISTEAD  BURWELL,  Esq. 

MAY  10th,  1898 

CONFEDERATE  MEMORIAL  SERVICES 

ELMWOOD    CEMETERY 

CHARLOTTE,  N.  C. 


Bs 


Address  of 

Armi&ead  Burwell,  Esq. 

May  10th,  1898 

Confederate  Memorial  Services 

Elm  wood  Cemetery 

Charlotte,  N.  C. 


Almost  a  third  of  a  century  has  passed  since  the  host 
that  followed  Lee  and  Johnston  laid  down  its  arms  before 
that  which  followed  Grant  and  Sherman — the  one 
returning  to  homes  made  desolate  by  defeat,  the  other  to 
a  land  made  joyful  by  victory. 

The  years  that  have  flown  by  have  brought  wisdom 
to  all  those,  whether  victors  or  vanquished,  who  have  had 
"attending  ears"  to  hear  their  teachings,  and  those  years 
have  borne  to  the  brave  hearts  that  were  once  estranged 
the  sweet  charity  that  is  ever  kind. 

Time  has  touched  with  its  beneficent  power  the  places 
of  strife — 

"Where  brothers  faced  each  other's  steel, 
Grim  suitors  in  the  last  appeal" — 

and  they  are  places  of  restful  peace. 

Enchantment  has  fallen  on  the  now  distant  scenes. 
Gettysburg  and  Chickamauga  are  beautified  by  nature  and 
by  art.     The  glory  of  heroic  action  lightens  the  fields 


once  darkened  by  the  smoke  of  battles,  and  instead  of  the 
roar  of  conflict  there  is  heard  the  loud  acclaim  of  a  won- 
dering people. 

Some  enemies  of  that  seeming  yesterday  are  our 
heroes  of  to-day. 

We  think  of  Grant,  not  as  the  stern  warrior  whose 
mailed  hand  struck  down  our  kin,  but  as  the  mighty  man 
of  war,  who,  in  all  the  crises  of  his  life,  ruled  himself,  and, 
pleading  that  there  might  be  peace  between  his  country- 
men, was  more  heroic  in  the  chamber  of  his  death  than 
ever  on  tented  field  where  victory  perched  upon  his 
standard. 

And  those  who  fought  with  Bragg  at  Chickamauga 
salute  with  unfeigned  respect  the  steadfast  Thomas,  who 
stood  unmoved  amidst  the  dreadful  disasters  of  that  Sep- 
tember day.  » 

Time  has  clothed  with  a  new  glory  our  friends  of  that 
yesterday. 

We  think  of  Lee  now,  not  as  he  led  his  often  victorious 
columns  to  newer  heights  of  fame,  but  as  the  majestic 
man  who  bore  defeat  with  equanimity,  and  turned  from 
the  paths  that  might  have  led  to  wealth  to  that  other  way 
that  led  to  duty  and  to  God. 

We  have  ceased  to  mourn  that  Jackson  died,  because 
he  lives  in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen,  and  because, 
himself  removed  from  trouble  and  sorrow,  his  fame  has 
grown  until  America  proclaims  him  one  of  the  greatest 
soldiers  since  the  world  began.  "His  body  is  buried  in 
peace,  but  his  name  liveth  forevermore." 


And  this  nation  of  States,  united  now,  and  in  its  union 
invincible,  if  its  cause  be  just,  says  of  all — both  those  that 
wore  the  blue,  and  those  that  wore  the  gray — 

"My  sons — they  have  demeaned  themselves 
Like  men  born  to  renown  by  life  or  death." 

With  these  words,  and  in  the  spirit  they  evince,  with 
charity  for  all,  with  malice  towards  none,  we  come  to  deck 
these  graves  with  the  flowers  of  spring,  testifying  thus 
again  that  we  who  survive  have  not  forgotten  those  who 
"sleep  in  fame." 

We  turn  away  for  a  while  from  the  busy  walks  of  life 
to  this  city  of  the  dead,  hoping  that  the  memory  of  noble 
lives,  here  and  now  revived,  may  make  us  faithful  to  the 
true  and  right,  as  it  is  given  to  us  to  know  it,  though  faith- 
fulness to  such  high  purpose  seem  to  lead  to  defeat  or  to 
death. 

And,  as  is  most  fitting,  we  invoke  the  blessing  of  Him 
who  rules  the  destinies  of  nations  upon  those  by  whose 
loving  labor  this  monument  was  made. 

May  it  ever  stand,  not  less  to  their  gracious  memory 
than  to  that  of  the  heroic  dead  for  love  of  whom  they 
placed  it  here. 

Let  us,  then,  scatter  beautiful  flowers  on  these  slopes 
where  sleep  the  honored  dead,  neglecting  no  grave  where 
a  soldier  rests,  and,  from  year  to  year,  as  blooms  come 
forth  to  deck  with  their  beauty  this  Southland  that  we 
love,  let  her  children  perform  this  pious  duty  so  long  as 
valor  is  here  revered. 


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